Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1887-11-26

muSt-bG-ObcUcd
81 don't see any particular guilt about
it," broke in Leo, "She is not anybody
else's wife, and II appears that she has
married me according TO the custom OF
this awful place, SO who is the worsey
Anyway. madam" he went on, whatever
she has done, ] have done, too, SO if she is
to be punished, let me be punished also;
and | tell thee" he went on, working him
self up into a fury, THAT if thou biddest
one of those de%af-and-dumb villains TO
touch her again, l will tear him TO pieces"
And he looked as though he meant it.
Ayesha listened in icy silence, and made
no remark. When he had finished, how
ever, she addressed Ustane.
Hast thou aught to say, woman? Thou
silly straw, thou feather, who didst think
to float toward thy passions petty ends,
even against the great win Of my will
Tell me, for / fain would understand. Why
didst thou this hing'''
And then ] think / saw the most ire
mendous exhibition of moral courage and
in~trepidity that it is possible to conceive.
For the poor doomed girl, knowing what
she had to expect at the hands Of her ter
rible queen, knowing, too, from bitter ex-
perience how great was her power, yet
gathered herself together, and out of the
very depths of her despair found materials
to defy her.
81 did it, oh, queen" she answered,
drawing herself up TO the full Of her state
ly height, and throwing back the panther
skin Off her head. because my love is
stronger than the grave. / did it because
my life without this man whom my heart
chose would be but a livingdeath. Therg-
f,ra liI r rixI ,nr l;fo aud ,,n,x n NJ T H. lnxy
that it is forfeit 10 thine anger, yet am 1
glad that / did risk it, and pay iJ away in
the risking, ay, because he embraced mo
once, and told me that he yet loved me-"
Here Ayesha half use from her couch,
and then sank do%n again.
81 have no rkagic," went on Ustane, her
rich voice rIlging strong and full, land l
am not = queen, nor do i live forever, but
a wQSaan's heart is heavy to sink through
wxlers, however deep, oh, queen. And a
.riwoman's eyes are quick to see, even through
thy veil, oh, queen.
Listen: / know it; thou dost love this
man thyself, and therefore wouldst thou
destroy me who stand across thy path. Ay,
/ die--I die, and go into the darkness, nor
know / whittier | 90. But this / know.
There is alight shining in my breast, andby
bhhs iiEhpy 90 - ~ AuhAP a ~ UhD b0NA
and the future that / shall not share un-
roll itself before me like a scroll. When
first / knew my lord" and she pointed to
Leo, IL knew also that death would be the
bridal gift he gave me; it rushed upon me
of a sudden, but l turned not back, bsing
ready to pay the price, and. behold, death
is here! And now, even as / know that, co
do l, standing on the steps of doom, know
that thou shalt not reap the profits OF thy
crime. Mine h. is, and though thy beauty
shins like a sun among the stars, mine
shall he remain for thee. Never here upon
this earth shall he look thee in the eyes
and call thee wife. Thou, too, art doomed,
/ see"-and her voice rang like the cry Of
an inspired prophecies; "ah, l sce-"
Then came an answering cry OF mingled
rage and terror. turned my head. Aye
sha had risen, and was standing with her
outstretched hand pointing at Ustane, who
had suddenly stopped speaking. / gazed
ut the poor woman, and as l gazed there
grew upon her face that same woful. fixed
expression of terror that 1 had seen once
before when she had broken oGt into her
wild chant. Her eyes grew large, her nos
trils dilated, and her lips blanched.
TTn no continued